Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Texas: 2025 In-Depth Guide

Each fall, Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington morphs into a chilling Halloween epicenter during Fright Fest. As dusk falls, the park becomes a spectacle of thick fog, sinister characters, and electrifying energy. Roller coasters thunder through the night sky while haunted mazes, scare zones, and haunting live entertainment offer something for every thrill-seeker and Halloween fan.

Now in its 36th season, Fright Fest continues to deliver frights and delights, wrapped up in classic Texas fun. Read on for the ultimate 2025 guide, from dates and details to can’t-miss experiences and pro tips.

Where the Nightmare Unfolds

From chainsaws in Gotham to folklore in Mexico, each corner of the park brings your fears frighteningly close.

Fright Fest takes over all nine themed sections of Six Flags Over Texas, just 20 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth. Notable locations like Gotham City are transformed into chainsaw-infested scare zones. The Southern Palace Theatre showcases dramatic, horror-inspired stage shows.

New for 2025: A Día de los Muertos plaza in the Mexico section glows with sugar-skull lanterns and festive ballet folklorico performances, mixing cultural celebration and goosebumps-inducing ambiance. Park icons you recognize by day are shrouded in Halloween décor at night, delivering a completely new and disorienting experience even to regulars.

When to Face Your Fears

Mark your moonlit evenings—these are the nights when monsters awaken and the real fun begins.

• 2025 Dates: Fright Fest runs select nights from September 12 to November 2, 2025, typically on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with extended hours until midnight during Halloween week.
• Gates open: Usually at 5 p.m. Arrive early to breeze through security.
  Daily kickoff: Don’t miss “The Awakening” street-theater procession at dusk, which unleashes monsters throughout the park—a fan-favorite tradition marking the official start of nightly scares.

For precise hours and showtimes (subject to weather and operational changes), check the park’s official schedule ahead of your visit.

Who Should Brave the Fog

While Fright Fest is designed to thrill teens and adults with its intense haunted houses and spooky settings, it’s not all terrifying:

• Kids Boo Fest (daytime, before 6 p.m.): Perfect for families seeking gentle amusements—think pumpkin painting, a hay maze, costume contests, and trick-or-treat trails.
• Scare-level ratings are posted at maze entrances so everyone—from horror buffs to the mildly adventurous—can choose their comfort zone.

Pro Tip: Haunted Maze Passes often sell out on peak nights. Book in advance for guaranteed access and less time in line.

After sunset, families can transition to more intense frights or enjoy coasters and live shows, making it suitable for friend groups, couples, and horror fans alike.

What Makes 2025 Extra-Special

This season’s Fright Fest features the most robust lineup to date:

Haunted Attractions (Haunted Maze Pass required)

Brand-New Experiences:

• The Conjuring Universe: Tour the Warrens’ most notorious haunted cases—including Annabelle and The Nun.
• Stranger Things: A new immersive maze that drops guests into the iconic Netflix series’ chilling world.
• Saw 20th Anniversary: Celebrate SAW’s twisted legacy, facing Jigsaw’s deadly traps.
• Trick ‘r Treat: Guided by Sam, the Spirit of Halloween, navigate a haunted trail where “tricks” outweigh treats.
• Reject Row: An abandoned theater with crazed outcast performers.
• Terror at The Polynesian Palm: Explore the ghostly remnants of an island resort cursed by a sacred flower.

Returning Hits:

• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Survive Leatherface’s lair in a Texas-themed horror experience.
• Unearthed: Delve into an old mineshaft to retrieve the fabled “Relic of Life Everlasting.”

Maze passes:

• Regular House Pass: Around $30–50
• Express House Pass: Around $75–95
• All Season Regular House Pass: Around $149

Scare Zones (Included with admission)

• Chainsaw Alley: Chainsaw-wielding maniacs prowl the Texas pathways.
• Freak Town: Eccentric “freaks” escaped from Southern Palace’s show.
• Goblin Attack Squad: 80s punk “sliders” spark anarchic chaos in Gotham City.
• Trick ‘r Treat Zone: Extends the horror beyond the haunted trail.
• Zone 6: Zombies overrun the USA section; beware the living dead!

Live Entertainment

• The Awakening: Monsters unleashed each evening at the Silver Star Carousel.
• Calamity at the Creepy Horse Saloon: Nightly oddball variety acts.
• Catacosmic: Local band performances at the Carousel Stage.
• Dia de los Muertos: El Baile: Meet La Catrina for folklorico dances.
• Dr. H.H. Holmes’ Freak Show: A macabre, serial-killer-inspired spectacle in the Southern Palace Theatre.
• Point of No Return & Goblin Attack Squad: End-of-night party and Gotham City’s high-energy stunts.
• Dead Man’s Crossing: Gunfighter show gone undead, culminating with a Headless Horseman train encounter.

Specialty Food & Drink

• Halloween-inspired dishes (Franken Fries, Dragon’s Leg)
• Themed cocktails and shots (Hocus Pocus Punch, Witch’s Brew, Massacre Margarita)
• Unique Halloween desserts (Candy Corn Funnel Cake, Pumpkin Spice Churro)
• Immersive themed bars scattered throughout the park (Casa Bar, Gothan Bar, Tiki It Easy, and more)

Parking Hacks and Costs

Park smarter, not scarier—know where to go, what to pay, and how to dodge Six Flags Drive gridlock.

Six Flags’ vast surface lots sit directly outside the front gate, making the walk a breezy five minutes. For 2025, general parking is around $30 and preferred parking (closer to the entrance) is around $45. Arrive at least an hour before opening on Saturday evenings to avoid gridlock on Six Flags Drive. Pre-purchase parking online to skip toll-booth payment delays, and remember that Gold and Prestige Season Passes include parking perks if you plan multiple visits.

Screams Are Included—Stress Isn’t

Planning your Fright Fest escape to Six Flags Over Texas? Tripster lets you bundle park admission, haunted maze upgrades, Arlington hotels, and even attractions in one smooth, spooky-friendly checkout.

With exclusive discounts, flexible vacation packages, and everything in one mobile-friendly itinerary, you’ll spend less time booking and more time screaming, laughing, and making memories that outlast the fog. Book your Fright Fest getaway today with Tripster—and make 2025 the year your Halloween adventure hits a whole new level of fun.